Advanced
pulse dye laser technology, successfully
used to treat a wide variety of
skin lesions in adults and children,
now is proving to be a remarkably
powerful weapon in the battle against
psoriasis. And no one knows more
about pulse dye lasers than Cynosure.
Before
you decide on laser treatment for
your psoriasis, here are some things
you should know about the Cynosure
pulse dye laser.
How
does the laser work?
Cynosure
pulse dye laser technology is particularly
suited for the treatment of psoriasis
because it provides for the selective
elimination of small blood vessels
that support the growth of the psoriatic
plaque. With these vessels gone,
the growth of the plaque should
be significantly slowed or discontinued.
Does
it work on all types of psoriasis?
The
Cynosure pulse dye laser is ideal
for treating stable, localized psoriatic
plaques typical in mild to moderate
psoriasis.
How
many treatments are required?
Results
are seen within three to four weeks.
Typically, five to six monthly treatments
are recommended.
Does
it work on everyone?
Initial
clinical studies demonstrated that
73% of patients experienced more
than 70% clearance of their psoriatic
plaques. Of the remaining patients,
some 15% obtained about 50% clearance,
5% minimal clearance, and 7% experienced
no change, which is consistent with
other, more time-consuming procedures.
Is
the treatment difficult?
Not
at all. In fact it's a simple two-step
process.
Step
One -- Your physician will prescribe
a lotion, which you will apply on
the areas to be treated for on week
prior to treatment.
Step
Two -- On the treatment day your
physician will coat the designated
areas with a special fluid to enhance
their receptivity to the laser.
Then the physician or medical assistant
will treat the areas with the laser.
A typical four-inch square area
will require several minutes.
Is
the treatment painful?
There
is some minor discomfort associated
with the treatment. Most patients
describe the treatment as a series
of rubber band snaps to the skin.
Your physician can reduce or eliminate
this discomfort by providing you
with a topical anesthetic or by
cooling the treated area with ice
or an air-cooling device.
Will
pulse dye laser treatment be more
effective than PUVA, narrow band
UVB, creams or drugs?
While
your results should be comparable
to other types of treatment, pulse
dye laser technology frees you from
the potential undesirable side affects
commonly associated with other treatments.
For example:
Pulse
dye laser treatment requires fewer
treatments and less time than PUVA,
or narrow band UVB, and will not
cause aging or your normal skin
as is the case where the entire
body is exposed to UV.
Pulse dye laser radiation is not UV,
which is typically mentioned in conjunction
with skin cancer.
Pulse dye laser treatments are less
messy than the daily application of
creams and lotions.
Unlike drugs, pulse dye laser treatments
are non-systemic.
Will
pulse dye laser treatment be
more effective than other laser
treatments, such as with excimer
lasers?
At
publication of this information,
data from initial studies were available
using excimer and pulse dye lasers.
These initial studies indicate a
significantly longer remission time
with pulse dye, using a similar
number of treatments. In addition,
pulse dye treatment uses light at
a wavelength proven safe enough
to use on newborns, not ultraviolet
(UV) light, which has been associated
with skin cancer and aging.
Will
insurance cover my treatments?
You
will most likely be charged a flat
fee for the complete series of treatments.
Since the treatment is specific
to eliminating the plaque vasculature
or vessels, some insurance companies
may cover it as they do other vascular
lesion conditions such as warts
or port wine birthmarks. A lot may
depend on whether your request is
for medical or cosmetic purposes,
or a combination.
How
safe are pulse dye lasers?
Pulse
dye lasers have been used since
1983 to treat port wine birthmarks
and hemangiomas in infants as young
as two days old. Today pulse dye
lasers are routinely used in thousands
of medical and cosmetic treatments
in more than 80 countries. More
than 100 peer-reviewed articles
have been published on pulse dye
laser treatments, including several
on psoriasis treatment.
